Gone
by One Nutty Tree
Summary: My take on Angel's immediate reaction on hearing of Buffy's death. One-shot.


Willow was a buzzkill for the whole group. She didn't have to say anything, Angel could tell from once glance of her face it was bad. He hated the way she just sat there. His carefree smile faded.

"It's Buffy." Angel stated.

Willow nodded. Wesley, Cordelia and Gun's happy grins disappeared.

"Who's Buffy?" asked Fred.

"This could take some explaining." Wesley murmured.

"How about we leave you two alone for a bit?" suggested Cordelia, backing away from Angel and Willow. Angel said nothing. "We'll explain outside." Cordelia hissed to Fred.

As soon as the others were gone Angel approached Willow. Every minute of silence made him more anxious.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You should sit down." she replied.

"What? Why?"

"It – it makes it easier."

The 'in theory' went without saying.

He sat down beside her and repeated the question with an increasing amount of worry in his voice.

"What happened?"

"Buffy's dead."

His mouth dropped open. For a few seconds he was speechless. Finally he managed to regain control of his voice.

"No. There must've been –"

"No mistakes. This time it's real. I saw her."

Angel couldn't help but believe her. The look on Willow's face mirrored his own newfound pain and sorrow.

"How did she – ?"

"Do you want the long story or the short?"

Meanwhile, outside the building Cordelia and Wesley, with some input from Gun, had finished explaining the situation to Fred.

"So – she kills vampires?"

"Yes." the trio chorused.

"But if Angel's a vampire – "

Cordelia groaned in frustration and Wesley took over.

"It's complicated. Angel has a soul."

"Oh. But – "

They were relieved when Angel emerged from the building. He was with Willow. Both had red eyes.

"Thank you for telling me in person."

She nodded. Much to everyone's surprise he hugged the redhead and then she left. The others eyed Willow curiously before re-joining Angel.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that was weird." said Gun.

"Yeah." said Angel, not really listening as he stared after Willow.

The others exchanged glances.

"So how is Buffy?" asked Wesley.

This snapped Angel out of it.

"What?"

"Angel have you been – crying?" exclaimed Gun incredulously.

"Now I've seen everything." muttered Cordelia.

"So how is this Buffy?" Fred repeated.

"She's dead." Angel replied, his voice breaking slightly on the d-word.

"Oh my god." said Wesley.

"Angel man are you okay?" asked Gun. Angel looked at him. "Sorry, stupid question."

"We're here if you want to talk." said Cordelia.

"I – I just need to be alone right now."

Angel turned and strode back into the building.

"What's he going to do?" asked Fred.

"Brood the night away." replied Cordy.

The others went back inside and heard a loud crashing noise coming from upstairs. They exchanged glances.

"Demon?" guessed Wesley.

"Could be." confirmed Gun.

He went over to the weapons cabinet and passed various knives and axes to the others. Together the team rushed upstairs. The noise was coming from Angel's bedroom.

"Angel?" called Cordelia.

No reply. Gun tried the door but it was locked. Wesley stepped back in anticipation as his co-worker kicked down the door. The group gazed in horror at Angel's wrecked room. The bed was snapped cleanly in half, the wall was dented and shattered glass from the broken window spread across part of the floor. The only item that remained intact was a small lamp. Angel currently held it high above his head, in the process of hurling it to the floor.

"Angel?" said Fred hesitantly.

He lowered the lamp gently onto the collapsed set of drawers it sat upon. However it was too unbalanced on the lopsided surface and slid off it onto the floor. Angel turned to face the others with a sheepish look on his face.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?" exclaimed Cordelia.

"Nothing.!

"You call this nothing?" said Gun skeptically.

"I'm sure you're all upset and angry and stuff, I mean when I get upset – "

"Fred focus." Wesley interrupted.

"Oh right sorry – "

"I think what she's trying to say is it's not good to bottle everything up Angel. Talk to us." added Cordelia.

"There's nothing left to say. She's gone."

He sat down on one half of the broken bed. It shifted under his weight and he promptly stood up again.

"Then why did you smash up your room?" Angel said nothing. "We thought you were a demon."

"Maybe I am.

"Don't start this again! Your name is Angel for a reason." said Cordelia.

"Remind me why." Angel replied, angry all of a sudden.

Cordy remained undeterred.

"You help people."

"What's the point if I couldn't help _her_?"

"Dude you're a champion!" Gun chipped in.

"I wish people would stop calling me that!"

"Angel take a break." said Wesley.

"What?"

"Go on holiday, clear your mind. You deserve it."

He did not look convinced.

"Angel I have an axe in one hand and a crossbow in the other. GO." commanded Cordy.

For a minute she thought she saw a smile flicker across his face but she must've imagined it. Nonetheless the brooding vampire left his room. Gun surveyed the carnage of the place once more.

"We've got a lot of work to do." he announced.


End file.
